This is Your Iowa
Recently, we had two conferences for the Sisters in our mission. Half of the Sisters came the first day, and the other half the second day.
At the conference, I shared the following story:
Orson Spencer had just graduated from two colleges. One was in preparation for the ministry. He had trained to become a pastor. The missionaries met with him and shared the Book of Mormon with him. He read it, and believed it. He shared it with his wife Catherine. Later, while visiting with her parents, Catherine announced that she and Orson were joining the Church. Her parents were livid. They said, "Catherine, if you join that Church, we never want to see you again, we disown you, we disinherit you."
As they walked home, Catherine stopped and said, "Orson, I don't know a lot of things, but I know this: I love you, and if you join the Church, I am going to join the Church."
They joined the Church. They had three children, one right after another. Three more came later. Orson became very concerned about his wife's declining health. He thought, "Maybe if we get to Nauvoo, that will help." They moved to Nauvoo in 1842. Life was good for them there, and they became successful. They received their endowments in the Nauvoo temple in 1843.
Unfortunately, Catherine's health continued to decline. After the martyrdom, the Saints prepared to go westward. As they readied to go, Catherine's health was very poor. Orson despaired for her life. He wrote to her parents and said, "Please let your daughter come home. I love her more than anything else in this life. I will do anything you tell me, but please let her come back home and nurse her back to health."
He sent the letter off. Weeks passed, months, and finally it was time to roll westward. They made a little bed in a covered wagon for her. Some men helped lift her frail body into the wagon, and they began their trek. Several days later, as the camp circled for the night, a letter arrived from Catherine's parents. The letter said, "Orson, yes, we would love to have our daughter come back home. Yes, we will nurse her back to health. We will do everything you ask, but only on the condition that she leave you and her new-found Church. If so, we will welcome her home. If not, we disown her, we disinherit her, and never want to see her again."
Orson felt terrible. When he climbed into the wagon, he told Catherine that he had written to her parents. He said, "I love you more than anything in this world. I want you to go back home. They will nurse you back to health." She said, "Orson, let me read the letter." After reading the letter, she had Orson get her Bible, turned to Ruth Chapter 1, and read the portion she had underlined.
He read these words to her, "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." (Ruth 1:16)
She said, "No Orson, I will never leave you, and I will never leave the Church." They had a tender moment together. With his big rough hands, he closed her eyes, and they never opened again on this side of eternity. Catherine died March 12, 1846, at Indian Creek, Iowa. Orson would load Catherine's remains into a wagon and return them to Nauvoo, to be buried next to their youngest child. On this sorrowful trip, Orson's second oldest daughter, Aurelia, sat next to him.
Some years later, Aurelia would marry a man by the name of Rogers. Aurelia Spencer Rogers is a name familiar with many members of the Church, because she is the founder of the Church's Primary organization. (I am indebted to Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone's book, "Man of Holiness" for this story.)
Catherine Spencer never saw the Salt Lake basin but her children did. Catherine has left a legacy of faith which has blessed her family over many generations as demonstrated by her daughter Aurelia.
Iowa was a difficult experience for most members of the Church. The Saints were driven from Nauvoo in the heart of Winter, unprepared for a trip of over 1,000 miles into the wild towards the Salt Lake Basin. As they struggled across Iowa, the snows melted and the rains came. The rains continued late into the Spring and Summer, making travel slow, muddy and difficult. I have relatives tearfully buried on the plains of Iowa.
The Church has many exodus stories, including the Children of Israel anciently and my pioneer ancestors in a more modern setting. I love the exodus of the modern pioneers, because they model for me commitment and fierce loyalty, even amid hardships. They moved forward across the plains of Iowa.
More modern exodus stories can be seen as one moves from addiction to sobriety, faithlessness to faith and commitment, and other such events. For our young missionaries, a mission, with its travel, hardships and trials, is their plains of Iowa. It is where they travel from selfish adolescence to a more mature, faithful, adulthood. The trip is not easy, but is well worth the journey. Like Catherine, this journey will create a legacy of faith that will bless their families for generations. Times of hardship bring the greatest growth. We encouraged the Sisters to be strong and resilient as they face these challenges. The conference was a day to Remember why they came, Re-set, Re-focus and Rivet themselves to their purpose as missionaries. The Sister Training Leaders prepared rotating workshops to encourage the Sisters to apply the Doctrine of Christ in their lives.
Sister Craig and I did some travelling of our own recently. We travelled to the southern trip of our mission, the beautiful rural area of Aritao. While there, we went teaching with two of our finest missionaries, Elders Horn and Rather. We visited a wonderful and humble home in the bukid (rice field). There is no road access to the home; the only way to reach the home is to walk on the narrow paths between the rice fields. Our hosts were wonderful, and the views incredible. They find happiness in spite of hardship, as they hold fast to gospel covenants. We love our young missionaries and love serving in this beautiful area.
At the conference, I shared the following story:
Orson Spencer had just graduated from two colleges. One was in preparation for the ministry. He had trained to become a pastor. The missionaries met with him and shared the Book of Mormon with him. He read it, and believed it. He shared it with his wife Catherine. Later, while visiting with her parents, Catherine announced that she and Orson were joining the Church. Her parents were livid. They said, "Catherine, if you join that Church, we never want to see you again, we disown you, we disinherit you."
As they walked home, Catherine stopped and said, "Orson, I don't know a lot of things, but I know this: I love you, and if you join the Church, I am going to join the Church."
They joined the Church. They had three children, one right after another. Three more came later. Orson became very concerned about his wife's declining health. He thought, "Maybe if we get to Nauvoo, that will help." They moved to Nauvoo in 1842. Life was good for them there, and they became successful. They received their endowments in the Nauvoo temple in 1843.
Unfortunately, Catherine's health continued to decline. After the martyrdom, the Saints prepared to go westward. As they readied to go, Catherine's health was very poor. Orson despaired for her life. He wrote to her parents and said, "Please let your daughter come home. I love her more than anything else in this life. I will do anything you tell me, but please let her come back home and nurse her back to health."
He sent the letter off. Weeks passed, months, and finally it was time to roll westward. They made a little bed in a covered wagon for her. Some men helped lift her frail body into the wagon, and they began their trek. Several days later, as the camp circled for the night, a letter arrived from Catherine's parents. The letter said, "Orson, yes, we would love to have our daughter come back home. Yes, we will nurse her back to health. We will do everything you ask, but only on the condition that she leave you and her new-found Church. If so, we will welcome her home. If not, we disown her, we disinherit her, and never want to see her again."
Orson felt terrible. When he climbed into the wagon, he told Catherine that he had written to her parents. He said, "I love you more than anything in this world. I want you to go back home. They will nurse you back to health." She said, "Orson, let me read the letter." After reading the letter, she had Orson get her Bible, turned to Ruth Chapter 1, and read the portion she had underlined.
He read these words to her, "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God." (Ruth 1:16)
She said, "No Orson, I will never leave you, and I will never leave the Church." They had a tender moment together. With his big rough hands, he closed her eyes, and they never opened again on this side of eternity. Catherine died March 12, 1846, at Indian Creek, Iowa. Orson would load Catherine's remains into a wagon and return them to Nauvoo, to be buried next to their youngest child. On this sorrowful trip, Orson's second oldest daughter, Aurelia, sat next to him.
Some years later, Aurelia would marry a man by the name of Rogers. Aurelia Spencer Rogers is a name familiar with many members of the Church, because she is the founder of the Church's Primary organization. (I am indebted to Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone's book, "Man of Holiness" for this story.)
Catherine Spencer never saw the Salt Lake basin but her children did. Catherine has left a legacy of faith which has blessed her family over many generations as demonstrated by her daughter Aurelia.
Iowa was a difficult experience for most members of the Church. The Saints were driven from Nauvoo in the heart of Winter, unprepared for a trip of over 1,000 miles into the wild towards the Salt Lake Basin. As they struggled across Iowa, the snows melted and the rains came. The rains continued late into the Spring and Summer, making travel slow, muddy and difficult. I have relatives tearfully buried on the plains of Iowa.
The Church has many exodus stories, including the Children of Israel anciently and my pioneer ancestors in a more modern setting. I love the exodus of the modern pioneers, because they model for me commitment and fierce loyalty, even amid hardships. They moved forward across the plains of Iowa.
More modern exodus stories can be seen as one moves from addiction to sobriety, faithlessness to faith and commitment, and other such events. For our young missionaries, a mission, with its travel, hardships and trials, is their plains of Iowa. It is where they travel from selfish adolescence to a more mature, faithful, adulthood. The trip is not easy, but is well worth the journey. Like Catherine, this journey will create a legacy of faith that will bless their families for generations. Times of hardship bring the greatest growth. We encouraged the Sisters to be strong and resilient as they face these challenges. The conference was a day to Remember why they came, Re-set, Re-focus and Rivet themselves to their purpose as missionaries. The Sister Training Leaders prepared rotating workshops to encourage the Sisters to apply the Doctrine of Christ in their lives.
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| False Expectations Appearing Real (FEAR) |
Sister Craig and I did some travelling of our own recently. We travelled to the southern trip of our mission, the beautiful rural area of Aritao. While there, we went teaching with two of our finest missionaries, Elders Horn and Rather. We visited a wonderful and humble home in the bukid (rice field). There is no road access to the home; the only way to reach the home is to walk on the narrow paths between the rice fields. Our hosts were wonderful, and the views incredible. They find happiness in spite of hardship, as they hold fast to gospel covenants. We love our young missionaries and love serving in this beautiful area.
I loved our church history junkets with you guys - President Kipp, you’re a font of inspiring stories...even if sometimes it was ‘just a field’ that you and Frank were weeping in as Donna and I rolled our eyes in the car. Love you both oodles and caboodles!
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